Mitch' big red 4runner build

[the great him]

New inner and outer tie rod installed. Dropped off at the alignment shop. Tires squealed on the way there, definitely did not do a good job keeping the new tie rod at the same thread as the old one. Let's all pray everything works out and they can adjust the camber.

there is no real camber adjustment for our trucks. the only adjustment is for toe in or out. only a slight bit can be done from the lower control arm cams. if you are stock this will be more than enough, but if you plan on lifting you will need a set of LR UCAs.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

It's stock, but has camber issues in the front. The passenger front tire is wearing unevenly and cupping and creating vibration. The dealer told me that the lca cams look seized, but I've been trying to get them free. I won't be doing a lift til next summer or later

 

[LookAtThatDog]

It is aligned! Hallelujah!

Only had minor issues:

1. Dude said my (new) right ball joint is loose. He wanted to charge me $100 to inspect it for damage and tighten it up. I told him to leave it in the parking lot, and I'll tighten it myself. Which I did. The 14mm bolts were loose. Probly cuz I tighentened them first, then tightened the big castle nut, compressing the boot, and making them loose. It was like 3/4 turn each to get them to 59 ft pounds.

2. They had to replace my passenger side inner tie rod. Which is like the only thing I didn't replace. Which cost me $130. Which sucks cuz I could've done it for like $40. Whatever.

$250 for a tie rod, alignment, courtesy check and tire rotation. Big money, but I'm ecstatic to have a drivable vehicle again.

 

[bufferdan]

How did someone weld that plate inside the frame?

 

[LookAtThatDog]

I don't really know much about how it was done (what type of welder etc) its solid. The shop lifts it from that lower control arm no problem. I wish it was welded in on the other side. That'll be a project for spring

 

[bufferdan]

Interesting... I just don't see how that was done unless the frame was completely opened up from the other side to get a plate inside there. Right now im working on cutting rust out and welding reinforcements in around that area also.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

No the plate is definitely just welded over a big hole. It's not like, inside of the rail. They just covered up whatever hole was there and welded over it.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Drove the beast to Washington DC last weekend, bout 1300 miles total. Unfortunately I didn't get any sweet pics of it in front of the white house or anything. There was a pretty serious wheel vibration that came and went through. I thought it was kind of embarrassing.

Got all 4 wheels on a road force machine and the difference is night and day. They even said my tires are well within roundness spec. I'm not used to getting good noise from mechanics.

I also washed/waxed it, and used some 'back to black' stuff on the wheel arches, back bumper, trim, mirrors, and anything else I could reach. Looks 100% new now.

Bonus pic of my sv, now officially in hibernation

Extra bonus pic of DC

Probly won't be sinking any more cash into the rig until next year. I'll start stockpiling suspension parts in January.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Got the stupid frame welded today. It's super solid, I'm pretty excited about it. Next step will likely be tires. Two of mine are worn off center due to some camber issues from before I owned it.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

My front tires were worn all crooked because of off camber alignment of the PO, so I was scouring craigslist all week for new tires. I want to buy some duratracs eventually, but I don't have a lot of money to throw around right now, and I needed tires bad.


Here's how the front tires were worn. Left side okay, right side bald.

Found some 5 star wheels and great condition michelin ltx m/s tires on craigslist, got the rims, tires and lugnuts for $350

Way better in snow now, and the steering wheel is actually straight now haha

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Good news! I got a new job outside of Chicago, and have a whole free week between when I end my current job and start my new job! I'm making a list of things to do on the truck during the week.

I bought a trd/ome 890 / bilstein lift, LR UCAs, steering rack bushings, and some other odds and ends.

If anyone is in the suburbs and wants to ditch work, build a truck and drink beer next week, HIT ME UP!

 

[absalom]

Oh boy, the anal retentive side of me wants to buy you a welder, grinder, and an assload of paint so you can resto the whole underside.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Oh boy, the anal retentive side of me wants to buy you a welder, grinder, and an assload of paint so you can resto the whole underside.

Haha I'm gonna do some grinding and and por15 restoration for sure.

Although if you wanna buy me stuff, I won't stop you haha

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Finally lifted! OME 890/Bilstein 5100, Tundra TRD/Bilstein 5100 and SPC (same as LR) upper control arms. The rear took about 5 hours, the rest took a couple days because I struggled with the back bolts on the front strut top hat. Set the front struts to the second to bottom setting, looks balanced and rides awesome. SO MUCH BETTER THAN MY OLD BUSTED SUSPENSION.

Thoughts/tips:

1. Bending the rear shock until it snapped was easy as cake. No sawzall or bothering touching the top nut worked for me.

2. It was rough getting the rear spring until I loosened the 4 bolts holding in the rear control arms. Then it was so simple!

3. If the rear nut on the top hat (front struts) won't come off, remove the upper control arm and you can fit a grinder in. Grind it, hammer it to spin it, grind the other side, then use a chisel between the hat and the frame mount until it rips off. I would've been able to do them both in a day had I been using this trick initially.

Chisel like this:

Pressing out the UBJ using the tools I had:

Cut and remove the boot AND SNAP RING

GRIND LIKE TONY HAWK

Press the eyeball section thing out

This is how my setup looked. I had to get some 2.5" squares of steel to press it out this way. The tool has to be used upside down (the one i used at least) otherwise the part you spin runs into the spindle and everything sucks. Also I got the square on the bottom, because the part that came with the kit to hold that black circle thing was big and fat and wouldn't fit.

God bless America.

Progress:

My parking brake used to not click. You'd pull it up, and it'd just kind of go back down. The button that usually releases the brake was really sticky and gross. I disassembled the whole console trying to figure out wtf was going on... I sprayed some PB blaster and lithium grease on the base of the handle (where it clicks) and now it works like a dream. Really didn't have to take it apart or anything - such is life.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Some lifted pics

Bonus cat pic

 

[JBurt]

There is no such thing as a bonus cat pic :hillbill: Nice lift though.

 

[volkinator]

Have you had any more luck with the rust mitigation? I spent 3 full weekends on mine this fall and it's helped a lot. I did POR 15 on the rear axle, and eastwood rust converter and chassis paint everywhere else. But first went through with an angle grinder and wire wheels to get all the crap off.

Mine also had the hole in the rear control arm mount area. a friend and I welded a patch similar over it and it's working great. Just make sure to coat the inside, that's where it rusts from. My work has the internal cavity film that seems to work really well, it's waxy and sticks to everything.

Just curious what you've done with your being in the rust belt up here sucks. I'm tired of breaking bolts, drilling/tapping, and redoing everything. Anti-seize has been my best friend with putting it all back together.

 

[LookAtThatDog]

Have you had any more luck with the rust mitigation? I spent 3 full weekends on mine this fall and it's helped a lot. I did POR 15 on the rear axle, and eastwood rust converter and chassis paint everywhere else. But first went through with an angle grinder and wire wheels to get all the crap off.

Mine also had the hole in the rear control arm mount area. a friend and I welded a patch similar over it and it's working great. Just make sure to coat the inside, that's where it rusts from. My work has the internal cavity film that seems to work really well, it's waxy and sticks to everything.

Just curious what you've done with your being in the rust belt up here sucks. I'm tired of breaking bolts, drilling/tapping, and redoing everything. Anti-seize has been my best friend with putting it all back together.

I sprayed the frame down with rust converter and underbody spray. I don't think it'll have too much effect, but it def looks 100x better. I wash it every week in the winter. Key is to find a heated bay car wash.

Rust does make removing bolts a shit show, but pb blaster and kroil make it easier. I use 6 point sockets on everything, and hammer on the socket before I turn it. Hammers and penetrating oil make a huge difference.

I haven't updated this build thread in forever, I've done a ton of work to the truck. Honestly though II think I'm gonna try to sell it next year and startover with a rust free one. I've learned my lesson.

 

[volkinator]

Yup. I got the gallon of PB blaster on standby. And 6 points make all the difference. I was thinking of doing to rust free one, but they're so hard to find and honestly out of my budget at the point I got mine. Then I found my S/C and that changed things! Now with everything I've done, it's more worthwhile to hold onto it I think for me... But I definitely understand. Eventually I'll have replaced pretty much every bolt; then it'll be time to move on more than likely. Ugh. Never ending battle